The owners of The Loft in Kinloss believe businesses can help each other through the coronavirus pandemic

A LOCAL hospitality firm’s owner has faced difficulties and stress while following the coronavirus rules, but believes businesses can survive by adapting quickly and working together.

Pubs, cafés and restaurants are currently not allowed to serve any alcohol indoors and can only serve customers outside after 6pm. However, Kinloss entertainment venue The Loft has adjusted by falling back on its glamping and camping business.

Owner Victoria Butler confirmed that current restrictions have negatively affected The Loft, but agrees with the government’s directives.

She said: “We want to be holding events again, but we need to know we are not risking health. The sooner we get the virus under control, the sooner we can have our normal back. Supporting the directives is painful, but we will continue to do so.”

The Loft closed its activity centre and café before the lockdown in March, utilising the furlough scheme to protect jobs while focusing on what it could offer safely and legally.

“Our venue business is on ice,” said Victoria, “with all weddings cancelled or postponed until next year. This week also saw our final music event of the year Peat and Diesel cancelled. It’s the right decision, but still very disappointing.”

She added: “Our glamping and camping business has been our saviour. We didn’t expect to be able to open at all this year, which was a financially devastating prospect, as we had heavily invested in new facilities and undertaken large bank loans to develop them. However, regulations have allowed distanced, outdoor holidays to operate.”

Stress, though, has been caused by complex and frequently changing guidelines.

Victoria said: “Monitoring bookings, group demography, location restrictions, hot-spot postcode detective work, changing regulations and becoming a holiday police force to investigate and protect have been very stressful. It’s been horrible cancelling some holidays. Clearer law rather than guidance would have made this easier and put less burden on small businesses.”

Despite this, Victoria understands why the Scottish and UK governments believe hospitality has helped spread Covid-19.

She said: The rules are about protecting people. Businesses can put measures in place, but some customers just won’t follow guidance. The warnings were clear; they were ignored and responsible businesses are now suffering. I just hope that adequate support packages are put in place quickly.”

The Loft has adapted its terms and conditions, as well as its online booking system to stop unlawful group bookings.

Victoria said: “Some people thought of us a safe outdoor location to bend the rules, but we won’t do this. If we discover a gathering on site, we will insist they leave without refund as we will not knowingly allow our area to be used for irresponsible gatherings.”

Victoria would like to see government share more science so that people understand better the reasoning for restrictions.

She said: “More help on how to operate safely and within guidance would be appreciated, as well as tailored support alongside new rules. At the moment, new rules are announced and small businesses are left to try and decipher how this affects them which is very difficult. Thankfully local organisations such as Visit Moray Speyside have been a help.”

Victoria is fearful that a travel restriction is likely if the new rules are not observed.

She said: “This would kill many rural tourism businesses, but I fear it will be inevitable.”

Having lost parts of her business, Victoria and her colleagues are focussed on saving, protecting and developing what they have left.

She said: “Local businesses are proving how adaptable, determined and capable we are to survive. The Loft promotes local shops, restaurants, bars, activities and attractions to our guests. If we all do this we can all survive.”

Pubs and restaurants in many areas of Scotland will be able to serve alcohol indoors again from Monday, November 2, depending on what level of the country's new five-tier system they are in.

Licensed premises in level two regions will be allowed to serve alcohol with a meal until 8pm.

Moray will discover which tier the area is on Thursday, October 29 when First Minister Nicola Sturgeon makes an announcement.

Due to Moray's relatively low Covid-19 figures, it is expected that it could be moved down to level one, allowing the sale of alcohol indoors and outdoors with time restrictions.